Railway-switch



F. M. KIRKPATRICK.

RAILWAY SWHCH. APPLICATION FILED NOV. |2 m9.

1,331,868. K Patented Feb. 24,1920.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK M. KIRKPATRICK, OF ADAMS, WISCONSIN,

nssrenon or onn-rman '10 JOHN.

PETERSON AND ONE-THIRD TO CHARLES BOETCHER, BOTH 0F ADAMS, WISCONSIN.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

Application flied November 12. 1918. fleria! No. 887.481.

To all wiwm it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M-. KIRKPAT- mcn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Adams, in the county of Adams and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway- Switches, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in railway switch construction.

In the present switch constructions it is quite often the case that'after continuous use the switch point or tongue sometimes fails to have a snug engagement with the adjacent rail and therefore a car or engine wheel having a sharp flange will sometimes open or out between the switch point and rail and thus become derailed as the followthe flange of which may not be sharp enough to cut between the switch point and the rail, will ride upon the switch point. Such accidents are oftentimes disastrous, causing the loss of life and are also expensive to right.

Hence with the above .and other inherent objections in mind, my invention has for one of its objects to provide a railroad switch in which the switch point or tongue is adjustably connected with the operating bar by a universal joint or the like, whereby the same may be adjusted to at all times have a tight or snug engagement with the adjacent rail.

Another object'of my invention is to provide a novel form of means for resiliently retaining a switch point or tongue in engagement with the railway rail so that the spring means may be maintained in oil or grease to prevent rusting and the consequent breakage due to rust.

A further objectof the present invention is to provide a railway switch construction which will be compact in structure efficient in operation and durable.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended clalms, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In. the accompanying drawing I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Fi we 1 is a top plan view of a railway tsfwitc embodying the features of my invenion.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view, part in section and part in elevation and taken on the general plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fi 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a switc point moving member, said view being taken on the line i -3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the numeral 5 designates the usual railroad rails, one of which is' straight and the other of which branches diagonally therefrom as at 6, a switch point or tongue 7 being engageable with the rail 5 from which the section 6 branches off at the curve thereof to form a continuation of the track and a switch point or tongue 8 being engageable with the other rail 5 at a point ad acent the branching of the section 6 in order to provide, the corresponding rail for the track formed by rail section 6.

As is usual in structures of this character, the switch points are connected together by means of a cross bar 9 so that the switch points may be selectively engaged with the adjacent rail to direct a train to the track desired and I employ novel means for connecting the switch points with the cross bar 9 including a substantially U-shaped bracket member 10 secured to the cross bar by, fastening members 11 adjacent each switch point. A threaded rod 12 is adjustably engaged within alined threaded openings 13 formed in the arms 14 about each bracket member,the outer end of the threaded rod having a bolt 15 formed thereon which is pivotally disposed within a socket 16 formed in a securing block or member 17 secured to the adjacent switch point.

of the switch point with The inner end of the rod 12 is squared as Y adjusted positionby means of lock nuts 19 engaging the opposite sides of one of the arms 14, see Fig. 2.

This structure besides providing an ad justable connection between the switch points and the cross bar, also provides. a pivotal connection therebetw'een. The outer end of the cross bar 9 is reduced as at 20 and has secured thereto a coupling 21 forming apart of a universal or ball and socket connection between a rod section 22 of a two part resilientl connected operating-rod to be later descri ed. This universal joint connection includes a ball 23 formed on the outer end of the rod section 22 and secured withinthe coupling 21 by means of a threaded socket member 24: which is adjustable to take up any possible wear between the parts and is retained in its adjustable position by means of a set screw 25. In order that this joint may be pro erly lubricated an oil ppening 26 is provided within the coupling 21 and in communication with the surface of the ball 23.

The rod section 22 is resiliently connected with an operating rod section 22 by means of a cylindrical casing 27 having its ends closed by centrally apertured cap members 28 and 29, the rod 22 having its inner end in threaded engagement with the aperture of the cap 29 and the rod 22 having its inner end slidably projected into the casing through the aperture of the cap 28. The inner end of the rod 22 has an enlargement or flange 30 formed thereon and against each face of which impinges an end of an extensile spring 31 having its other end impinging against the ad'acent cap closing the ends of the casing. he springs 31 are under tension at all times and as they coact against each other the end 30 of the rod 32 W111 be normally urged to position centrally of the casing.

\ From this structure it will be seen that when the rod 22 is moved to the left with reference to the drawing, the spring being of equal tension will move the switch point i 7 to engagement with its adjacent rail, as

depicted in Fig. 1, in which case a train backing onto the main track from the spur or section 6 may wedge the switch points to the proper position to permit its passage on the main track without affecting the setting of the switch for a train coming in the opposite direction. In such an event the rod 22 will be moved against the action of the spring 31 disposed between the head 30 and the cap 28 which spring will return the switch point to its set position after the car wheels will have pa sed thereby. When the switchis set for a train passing along the straight track the action will substantially be reversed from that just described and further description thereof is thought unnecessary.

36 being formed in each end of the housing so that no moisture can pass into the housing where the rods project thereinto. If desired the housing may be filled with oil or grease placed therein through an oil opening 37 normally closed by a removable plugv or cap 38 as shown in Fig. 3.

What I claim for my invention is:

1. A railway switch comprising a switch point, an operating bar, and a ball and socket joint adj ustably connecting. the switch point and operating bar.

2. A railway switch comprising a switch point, an operating bar, a socket member secured to the switch point, an adjustable rod carried by the operating bar, and a ball formed on one end of said rod and pivotally secured in said socket member.

3. A railway switch comprising a rail, a switch point movable to and from engagement with the rail, an operating bar, a socket member secured to the switch point, a bracket member secured to the operating bar, a threaded rod adjustably carried by the bracket-member, and a ball formed on one end of said rod and pivotally secured in the socket member.

4. A railway switch including means for operating a switch point and comprising a fixed cylinder having alined apertures in its endsya rod slidably projected into the housmember disposed within the housing and having the end of one of the rods secured Y thereto and the end of the other rod slidably mounted therein, and spring means nor-.

mally urging the end of said other rod cen trally of the tubular member.

5. A railway switch including means for operating a switch point and comprising a fixed cylinder having alined apertures in its ends, a rod slidably projected into the housing through each aperture therein, a tubular member disposed within the housing and having the end of one of the rods secured thereto and the end of the other rod slidabl mounted therein. a packing gland at eac end of the cylinder for preventing the entrance of moisture where the rods pass into the cylinder, and spring means normally urging the end of said other rod centrally of the tubular member. 6. In a railway switch, the combination with two rails and two switch points adapted to be selectively moved to and from en gagement with the rails thereadjacent, of a cross bar, bracket members carried by the cross bar, adjustable rods carried by the bracket members and in pivotal connection the adjacent end of the casing whereby said 10 with the switch points, whereby the distance enlargement will be normally urged to a pohetween the swltch points may be readily sition substantially centrally of the casing, adjusted, a casing, a control rod having one and an adjustable universal joint connection end fixed to the casing, a connecting rod between the other end of said connecting rod having one end slidably mounted in the casand said cross bar. 15 ing, an enlargement on said end of the con- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. nection rod, and an extensile spring impinging against each side of the enlargement and. FRANK M. KIRKPATRICK. 

